The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-25
THE LYONS ESTATE.
Beginning of the Trial of the Alleged Widows
Claim to the Property.

Before Judge Howe and jury, yesterday. the
trial of Mrs. Ellen Lyons's suit against Thomas
ODonnell. administrator of the John A. Lyons
estate. was begun. There is thread of romance
running through the testimony. and the prop
erty involved is valued at 800 900, which the
brothers and sisters thought would come to
Them without contest, until Mrs. Lyons, of Gin
cinnat., claiming to be the widow of John, who
was killed on West Washington street
year ago by Samuel Marley, filed the
complaint now at issue. She is represented
by Mr.. Bartholomew, of this city, and Samuel
F. Hunt of Cincinnati The latter gentleman.
in giving the compliments side, said that prior
to the 9th of March, 1866. Ellen Quinn was
resident of Cincinnati, when John A. Lyons be-
came frequent visitor at her mothers house.
After paving attention to Ellen for several
months he left the city, telling her that he was
going to st. Louis, to secure work at his trade,
that OF d timer. He had been In that city
few months. when he wrote to her to come
there. and he would marry her. Miss Quinn,
with Father Bender, priest, went to St Louis
and on the 9th of March, 1866, in the presence
of witnesses, Lyon and she were married, the
ceremony being performed by priest of st.
Louis parish. This certificate was properly re-
corded and husband and wife went to Selbina, a
boarded with Mrs. Esridge During their stay
at Salbina thers born to them daughter,
named Ellen May Lyons, the young lady pres
ent In court with her mother. Lyons left this
| town. and, going to Texas and other Southwest
ern States, finally came to Indianapolis, and
went into business He frequently admitted
that this woman was his wife, and the only rea-
son he ever gave tor not living with her was
that his mother and sisters were opposed to the
marriage.
Henry n Spaan made very lengthy state
ment for the defense, in which he said that no
novelist ever conceived plot deeper than this
one One year ago John A. Lyons was shot
dead. He had been living with his aged mother
and had always been on the best OF terms with
his sisters. No man in Indianapolis was better
known, and yet no one ever heard it said that he
was a married man. The first intimation any
one had of such thing was a few days after
his death, when it stated that he had
a wife and daughter residing in Cincinnati
1t would be the purpose of the defense. he said,
to show that John A. Lyons was frugal man;
that by hard labor he saved something near 800
600. and why did not this woman make a claim for
support while the husband she claims still
livingl The defense will be able to show that
there was marriage. That he paid her atten-
tions in Cincinnati is admitted, for they both be-
longed to the ''Texas Star Dancing Club" and
as mem bers were frequently thrown into each
others society.
After Offering documentary evidence rela tive
to the marriage certificate and its authenticity,
Mrs. Lyons went to the witness stand. but ar
gument regarding technical objections to her
testimony occupied the rest of the afternoon.